Embattled Tamarac Commissioner Elvin Villalobos, his business, and family businesses received more than $220,000 in PPP and SBA loans. Records show that Villalobos was approved for his first PPP loan which was later forgiven. Villalobos used his now-defunct company, Omega Realty Venture, LLC, to apply for the loan. State records indicate that Villalobos was the sole authorized member of the company before he closed it.
Villalobos’ brother, Justo Villalobos, also applied for PPP loans and was forgiven over $50,000. Villalobos claimed he retained 17 jobs, although his company, Buildworth Strategies, LLC, only does credit repair.
Valesky Barosy, 28, who dropped out of high school and became president of VBarosySolutions Inc., was found guilty of wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft by a Fort Lauderdale federal jury in a rare COVID-19 loan scheme case that went to trial. For various loan applications totaling more than $4 million, Barosy fabricated prior-year business expenses, net profits, and employee payrolls and submitted bogus IRS tax forms to secure payments for himself and others, according to an indictment and trial evidence. He then used the tainted money to buy a Lamborghini, fancy watches, and designer clothes. Like Villalobos, Barosy claimed to be a credit repair guru.
Commissioner Villalobos disclosed that he and his wife’s company received more than $170,000 in SBA loans by his own admission on financial disclosure forms. State records show that Villalobos and his wife applied for the loans when they were the company’s sole owners. Today, Villalobos is the owner but has named a new partner, Koichi Saito.
Last week, the Tamarac Post exposed Elvin Villalobos and his open lawsuit filed by American Express. Amex is demanding that Villalobos pay unresolved debts not exceeding $50,000, according to the lawsuit.
Villalobos has been waging war, deflecting, and blaming Commissioner Marlon Bolton for spreading misinformation about him online. Bolton denies the claims.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented economic disruption, prompting the US government to establish the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to support small businesses. However, the program has been marred by widespread fraud, with politicians and their associates implicated in the scandal.
Reports indicate that billions of dollars in PPP loans were obtained through fraudulent means, including identity theft, falsified documents, and shell companies. In some cases, politicians and their family members have been accused of exploiting the program for personal gain.
The commissioner’s financial woes could be a sign of deeper issues, potentially breeding corruption within the Tamarac government. When public officials struggle financially, they may become more susceptible to corrupt influences or may be tempted to misuse public funds for personal gain.
The residents of Tamarac deserve transparency and accountability from their elected officials. Villalobos’ financial issues warrant a thorough investigation to ensure that public funds are being managed properly and that corruption is not taking hold in the city government.
